Ross Franklin is ranked as one of the top wellness visionaries alongside Tim Ferriss, Dave Asprey, and Ben Greenfield. Throughout his years as a wellness entrepreneur, Ross developed unique productivity hacks and wellness habits used to build his juice empire, Pure Green. As the founder of one of the fastest-growing cold-pressed juice companies and juice bar franchises in the U.S., Ross is often traveling across the country for Pure Green franchisee meetings, conferences, and speaking engagements.
1. What does your morning routine look like? Similarly, is there anything in particular that you do in the evenings to “wine down” from a long workday?
Over the past two decades of fine-tuning and modifying my morning routine for optimal efficiency, I’ve developed a morning ritual that puts me in a peak state for the rest of the day. During my search for the optimal morning routine and maximum productivity, I’ve tried everything from jumping on a trampoline to promote lymphatic flow in the body to meditation and breathwork to achieve a centered state of mind. After years of trial and error, I’ve identified a specific routine that delivers the best results. Here is a list of my current mourning routine staples:
Super-Charged Water (clean water enhanced with molecular hydrogen)
We wake up in a dehydrated state, and the first thing I do upon getting up in the morning is to drink a few glasses of water… but not just any water. My preferred water is Mountain Valley, which is naturally mineral-rich. And I order them in 5-gallon glass bottles and store them in a water cooler. I add molecular hydrogen tablets to the Mountain Valley water to boost mitochondria function. The super-charged H20 helps me reduce brain fog and hydrate first thing in the morning.
Focus Oriented Supplement Stack
I’ve developed a supplement stack that helps to enhance my focus and cognition. Along with my super-charged water, I take a 750mg dose (one pill) of aniracetam (a nootropic, not FDA approved) paired with 100mg of L-Theanine. I find that aniracetam helps me feel alert, and studies have shown that it helps to improve memory and concentration.
Black Coffee
I have around 3 to 4 cups of organic black coffee. The caffeine in the black coffee paired with the L-Theanine provides a nice cognitive boost. Studies have shown the combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine improve cognitive performance and mood.
TriggerPoint Rolling
I use the TriggerPoint GRID® Foam Roller for one minute on my upper and lower back and use the TriggerPoint MobiPoint® massage ball on each foot for 15 seconds. The combined rolling helps overall circulation and gets me primed for the day.
Push-ups
I do 20 to 30 push-ups for blood circulation and to get warmed up before heading to the gym.
Email Check
After my push-up warmup, I quickly check emails and respond to anything urgent.
Workout
I do a 25 to 30-minute workout at the gym. My specific routine as well as my nutrition regimen can be found here.
2. What is one wellness hack, habit or trend that you practice regularly and can’t live without?
In answering this question, the typical entrepreneur would say that it’s their daily mediation, breathing work or morning workout. I would not classify those as hacks; they are simply par for the course and, especially in today’s world, part of any entrepreneur’s toolkit. As an entrepreneur in a competitive world, if you don’t do those things, you are at a significant disadvantage.
One of the most impactful wellness hacks that most entrepreneurs shy away from talking about is nootropics. Nootropics are brain-boosting supplements that, in my opinion, offer a distinct advantage by enhancing focus and cognitive abilities.
I mentioned my specific nootropic stack in my morning routine. For me, this is my secret weapon and what I feel gives me an edge. Being decisive in business is one of the most important qualities for any leader. Getting your body and mind into a peak state is absolutely critical.
3. Do you have any productivity tips for other entrepreneurs and business leaders who are looking to maximize their workday/week?
One productivity tip that has been gaining a lot of traction in the wellness world is Intermittent Fasting. Intermittent Fasting is going 16 hours without food, and it helps to increase autophagy, the body’s cleansing of damaged cells. My dinner typically ends at 8 pm, and I don’t eat my first meal until 12 pm the next day. This 16-hour period without eating (black coffee does not interrupt the Intermittent Fasting cycle) helps my focus and also allows me to be more productive in the morning. I’m not distracted with thinking about or making breakfast.
4. Would you say that you’re generally able to maintain work/life balance, and if so, how?
My personal mission is aligned with our company mission and because of this, work doesn’t really feel like it’s work. I love what I do and am grateful every day for it. However, others around me seem to think that I’m always working.
For more of a work/life balance, I aim to take 4 “free days” a month where I do my best not to work and to focus on personal time and time with my family. I found that by going out of my way to block out these “free days,” I am actually more productive when I’m working.
5. What has been your main key to success throughout your career?
I’ve found that surrounding myself with the right people, both personally and professionally, has been one of the most impactful keys to my success. I think most people understand how hiring the best and brightest for your organization helps to transform your company. However, I think people underestimate how the people they spend time with the outside of work impact their thinking and success.
When I go out to dinner with people outside of work, I choose to spend time with people that I can learn from and people that I look up to. Hearing about what others are working on, how they are transforming their companies, and how they are dealing with challenges stimulates my thinking, and I usually leave dinner with great ideas and actions to execute.
It has been said that your income is the average of the incomes of the five people with whom you spend the most time. I believe this to be true.